Making Matzah And Memories: Kids Learn To Make Matzah Ahead Of Passover

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - It's a special treat for some little ones on Long Island.

Just days before Passover, preschoolers learned the importance of the holiday, and got a taste of it as well.

Rabbi Dovid Weinbaum of the Model Matzah Factory raises his hands and claps to get the kids excited for Passover.

"They go into this Passover seder, Friday night and Saturday, feeling that this is real and they know so much about it," Weinbaum said.

Dressed as Moses, the rabbi teaches students at the Chai Center preschool in Dix Hills, Long Island all about the Jewish holiday, bringing it to life so kids can understand it.

"It's so important in the world that we live in, with so many things happening around them, and so many different distractions, that religion is brought to life. And this way, they can touch it, see it, feel it," Weinbaum said.

He uses interactive lessons and demonstrations, but it's his mobile bakery that has the preschoolers excited to make matzah.

The hands-on experience gives each child the chance to make his or her own matzah, just like their ancestors did.

"These are the fundamentals of Judaism, so when they grow up, they can understand it and learn more about it and teach it to their own families," said teacher Ghazal Attarian.

From mixing the flour and water to rolling the dough and baking the matzah, each child took part in every stage of the process.

"It's important for everyone to do hands-on activities, because the children actually learn it and building their experience through that," Attarian said.

"When it comes to the seder this Friday night, they're actually excited to eat it because they will say 'I know how to make that, I know how to do it and I did it in my school.'"

Making matzah and making memories.

The rabbi says he went around the Tri-State Area for the last few weeks teaching thousands of kids about the holiday.

Passover begins on Friday at sundown.